After 12 years, Veligonda tunnel boring machine reaches breakthrough point

VIJAYAWADA: The works related to the first tunnel of Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project have concluded with the tunnel boring machine (TBM) reaching the breakthrough point after an arduous 12 years. Secretary (water resources) J Syamala Rao and engineer-in-chief (irrigation) C Narayana Reddy are scheduled to visit the project site on Saturday in view of the completion of the first tunnel works.

According to information, despite odds such as COVID-19 imposed lockdown and subsequent heavy rainfall in the last one-and-a-half years, Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) has completed the excavation works of 3.6 kms of the 18-km-long tunnel in a record time. The company used what is claimed to be the longest conveyor belt of 36 kms for the purpose. 

The first tunnel works of the project, aimed at irrigation dry lands of Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts, were launched in 2008 by the then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and the TBM was pressed into service to excavate the tunnel in a hill. After 12 long years, the TBM has reached the breakthrough point late on Wednesday evening. 

Though the works were supposed to be completed by 2016, it missed multiple deadlines with the pace of the works being slow. As per the official information, only 600 metres of tunnel was excavated between June, 2014, and May, 2019. After the change of guard, the government has taken steps to expedite the works. 

The project envisages to draw 43.50 TMC flood water of Krishna River from the foreshore of Srisailam reservoir through Kollam Vagu (Upstream of Srisailam Reservoir) by twin tunnels via gravity. The water drawn would be impounded in Nallamala Sagar Reservoir. Through the first tunnel, about 10.7 TMC of water can be drawn to irrigate 1.19 lakh acres and to provide drinking water in Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts.